Per Aspera Ad Astra
by InfiniteHorizons
Summary: Through the Thorns to the Stars. When the life he's always wanted is threatened in a time well before it's happened, the Doctor requires a little extra help to get his happy ending, though he doesn't know it at the time.
1. Chapter 1

**AKA my ultimate Rose x Doctor Fix It**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who.**

 **A/N: I have two stories I'd like to start fresh on, one of which is this one. This has been an idea I've had mulling around in my head for a while. It's my personal take on how I wish things would've been handled.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The Doctor recognized the date as soon as he landed.

It was one he didn't particularly wish to revisit, but the TARDIS was being stubborn. He couldn't figure out _why_ the old girl insisted on staying, but she did. He decided it was best if he kept himself scarce and the stop rather quick. It was, after all, upon Romana's request he was stopping on Earth at all. He was quite content to avoid the planet for a while longer, especially considering all the trouble him and his "companions" had caused over the past few centuries. Not to mention, Romana seemed to want to stop every other adventure, if only to see her Uncle Jack, as she so lovingly named him.

"I just want proper chips, and then we can be off!" Romana promised, and the way she looked at him made it impossible to refuse.

"Just no wandering off," he warned, "it's best we be off quick."

At her raised brow, the Doctor opened the door for her. He didn't elaborate any further, but the girl had an idea of why. The dates coincided with an event she had been told about, one that was rather unpleasant.

"Yeah, yeah, I know the rules, dad," she muttered, though there was a small smile on her face.

It reminded him of her mother, the wide smile with the smallest hint of a tongue peeking through. Her eyes, too, mimicked her mother's, a deep amber that looked to carry the whole of time behind it. The hair, however, seemed to come entirely from his last regeneration. It was long, all the way to the middle of her back, and a chocolate brown. She was tall, like he'd been, but everything else just mimicked her mother.

 _His Rose._

"Not that you ever listen to them," he pointed out, walking side-by-side with his daughter.

"Hard to take you seriously in a bow tie and tweed," she jested, though there was a tightness in her smile.

He'd regenerated recently, and while Rose had been more than accepting, it was the first time he'd done so since Romana was born. He was beyond thankful that he hadn't while she was a baby, but even as a teenager he could tell it was difficult. She was far wiser than her age suggested, but it seemed even she had her limits. He'd be lying if he said the wariness didn't hurt the slightest bit.

"Bow ties are cool," he said airily, smiling when he heard her laugh. She hasn't done it nearly as much since the regeneration.

"Nobody thinks that," she assured him, pulling her coat a little tighter around herself.

"Rose does," he stated rather proudly.

Romana hummed, clearly a sign she didn't believe it in the least, and continued forward quicker than before.

"Ask her when she gets back from vacation," the Doctor added.

It'd been Rose's idea to give the two of them some bonding time. After all, it wasn't every day your father turns into a man with a completely different face. She had him drop her off at one of the resorts he'd promised to take her to, and told him to return after a few trips.

"Trust me, I w-"

Whatever she was going to say was cut off by a loud bang in the sky, the ground beneath their feet shaking. Like a million stars in the sky, the Daleks flew to the Earth. On the ground, Cybermen were infiltrating the streets.

"Uh, dad," the girl cried, taking a few steps back so she was closer to him.

The Doctor wrapped a protective arm around his daughter, pulling her back into the direction of the TARDIS. He knew this was going to happen. The TARDIS knew too, which was why he couldn't understand why she kept insisting they land at this particular time.

The streets were chaos- screams and sobs and cries filling the air. The two time travelers were stumbling about, hanging onto each other's hands fiercely as they tried to navigate the streets. The sunny day had turned into a downright nightmare in less than a few minutes.

"Just keep holding onto me," the Doctor yelled, his mind in overdrive as he dodged and weaved the frightful humans.

"Dad!" Romana screamed, her arm being pulled back as one particularly scared man ran into their connected hands.

Fear struck the Doctor when his daughter's hand lost contact with his. He stopped immediately, his eyes full of desperation.

"Romana!" He shouted into the scattering crowd. "Romana!" He tried again, shoving people aside as he backtracked.

The Cybermen were closing in now, and above the Daleks were shooting into the throngs of people. He was desperate, wild eyes searching for the face of his child.

"Dad," he heard, faintly, and renewed his efforts.

Romana, however, was running towards a child, who had been standing in the direct path of a Cyberman.

"Run!" She yelled to him, though he was frozen in fear. She got there just in time, scooping him into her arms.

Nearby, a lady was in hysterics, a name on her tongue with all the desperation of a dying man. She felt the child shutter against her, his eyes squeezed tight.

"Get to safety," she told the woman, pushing the child to her. She cradled the boy to her chest and ran off, tears fresh on her face.

"Dad!" She hollered, trying in vain to get his attention. He was lost in the crowd, colors fading together in a big blur of chaos.

Sucking in a shaky breath, she narrowly dodged a blast, the shock wave forcing her off her feet and onto the hard pavement. For a moment, her vision darkened, her ears ringing. Then, rapidly, her body recovered, a stabbing pain running up her side as she stood on two feet once more. She forced herself to move forward, pressing a hand into her side as she groaned in pain. Vaguely, she noticed the red liquid sliding between her fingers.

"Dad," she tried again, far more weakly than before.

The chaos had died down, and she realized this must be when they were sucked into the void. The girl looked up with shining eyes, watching as Daleks and Cybermen alike disappeared. She knew, inside that building, stood her mother and father, saving the world as they always did.

For a moment, just a moment, the world was normal once more.

And then she felt the tingling.

Her fingers were shaking, her own mind feeling displaced as, atom by atom, she felt herself fading. It was tearing her apart on the inside, with all the fury of a storm, and in her mind she could feel her father call out, only it wasn't the same father who had brought her here. It was the one who saved the world, the one who stood inside that building with a pain so heavy it was ricocheting down his incarnations.

"Romana," her father's voice cried, and she sobbed in response.

She could feel it already, the world erasing her as if she never existed. She knew, something had gone wrong in that building. Something had happened in a way it never should have.

"No, no, no, no," he shouted, his footsteps heavy against the pavement as he ran to his little girl.

"Dad," she croaked, tears in her eyes. She could see her reflection in his eyes, watching as she faded into nothing.

"Hey, sh, it's going to be okay," he promised, a pained look on his face. His brows were squeezed together in an effort to stop the tears, but the onslaught of emotions were too much, and they began to fall one by one, like raindrops from the sky.

"The timelines..." she whispered.

A song began, low and lyrical, but a familiar one nonetheless. It grew in intensity, causing her to grit her teeth together as it overcame her mind. Her body was embraced by a warm, golden light. It was safe, and recognizable. Scared, she looked to her father, only to notice the faraway look in his eyes.

"What's happening," she cried, holding onto him even tighter.

The Doctor had seen something like this before, but it had only ever been with Rose. She was, after all, the Bad Wolf. It was what had allowed them forever together, even if he'd been scared as all hell when he realized it was killing her to begin with.

"It's okay," he said weakly, and it didn't even sound convincing to his own ears.

He could feel his memories shift, see the change. Rose had fallen into the void, only the other Pete Tyler had caught her. He'd brought her to the other universe, where she eventually made it back, only to be given a human version of himself. Someone had changed his future, and it was, quite literally, tearing his daughter apart. In this new reality, she was never born.

"I'll fix it," he promised, already thinking of a million and one ways he might be able to remedy the situation. However, he was so distracted, and he knew most of them wouldn't work.

"No," his daughter said, and his eyes widened at the echo in her voice. "You won't."

He opened his mouth, but no words would come out. She looked as Rose did on the Game Station all those years ago- gold light bathing her, determination in the golden eyes.

"I will."

His brows furrowed, and before he had a chance to ask, she was gone. He let out one desperate, heart-wrenching cry, before the world went silent once more. He was alone. Always alone.

* * *

Romana awoke with a groan, the stabbing in her side reduced to a dull ache. Any sudden movement caused it to skitter down her spine, reminding her of just how much pain she was in.

"Dad," she called out, reaching blindly around her.

Her vision was typically far superior to a normal human's, but right now, she couldn't make out anything.

"Hello!" She called loudly, sitting up cautiously so she wouldn't cause anymore discomfort.

Again, she received no reply. She shivered, though she was rather warm in the dimly lit building. It looked, well, normal.

A pain burst in her mind, her hands grasping at her head as she sucked in a breath. Rapid fire, images sprung out at her, quicker than she could understand. As she tried to make sense of them, distant noises grew in volume. Three people rounded the corner, running into the same room she occupied.

Warily, she grasped the sonic screwdriver her dad had made her in her pocket, watching the strangers closely. Though, her fingers itched to grab the sonic blaster Uncle Jack had gifted her.

Only, they weren't strangers.

The man in front, who was now threatening aliens, who looked suspiciously like they were from Raxacoricofallapatorius, was someone she'd seen in pictures. He was wearing a leather jacket, his tired eyes narrowed as he kept an air of danger. The usual presence in her mind was muted, almost as if somebody was blocking it.

The lady to his right was a woman she'd seen on a few interviews, who she'd once even asked her dad about. He'd explained something to do with Torchwood and how she was a good woman who'd lost her way.

But the girl to his right, she knew all too well. Her hair was a little longer, and looked far more dyed than it did in recent days. She was more youthful, and a little less lean than the woman she knew, but it didn't change who that woman was.

The lady, Harriet- if she recalled correctly- took notice of her, though the girl couldn't care less, because in front of her stood the two people she knew better than anybody in the universe.

In front of her stood Rose Tyler and the Doctor, her mother and father.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello! It's been a whole week, and I hate waiting an entire week just to post. So, this first adventure is kinda Romana oriented/from her POV, but after the end of this it'll get more Doctor/Rose POV. This is, after all, a Doctor x Rose story. Honestly, this is how I wish things would have been fixed.**

 **Enjoy!**

Her mind was going wild with theories, so much so that she could ignore the pain in her side.

"Doctor," Harriet mentioned, taking a few steps back towards the girl who seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The Doctor, however, paid no mind as he locked them in the room. She reached towards her, her gaze on the bloodied abdomen of the girl.

"Doctor, there's a girl," Rose said, and Romana was torn between crying and laughing.

Her mother was so young, she could see it in her eyes. She looked to be a few hundred years off of when she gave birth, at least. Not to mention, she looked perfectly human. Romana knew a lot about her mother, specifically that she was human when she first traveled with her father. It wasn't until after 'the incident', as Romana so fittingly deemed it, that she began to change.

And her dad.

Holy shit, she was so terribly confused when she first saw him disappear into a light and then come out with a completely different face. That man, however, still had brown hair and a youthful face. He still had gentle eyes, particularly when he looked at her or Rose. The man in front of her, who she knew for a fact _was_ her father, only with a different face, was entirely different from the man who'd raised her.

She knew about regeneration. Of course she knew. Her mother and father made sure that she was perfectly clear on how the whole process worked. This was mostly because they didn't want her to be too terribly frightened if her dad just happened to walk in with a new face one day, but also because they were so unsure of what she really was.

But before it had just been something she knew about, and then her dad had gone and gotten himself killed.

This, however, was far different than either of the faces her dad had.

"Hello, I'm the Doctor, and this here is Rose Tyler," he pointed to the blonde, "And Harriet Jones. Who are you then?" The Doctor asked, and the sob got caught in her throat. Though, the Doctor attributed it to her wound more so than any emotional turmoil.

She wanted her mother and father back. She wanted to go home to them. Instead, this man was standing here, staring her down with cold eyes. He didn't recognize her in the slightest bit.

"R-Romana," she stuttered, and nearly cursed herself for not throwing out a different name when the Doctor's eyes sparked with memories.

Even if he didn't know her, he did know a Romana. And this him, well he was just emerging from the Time War.

"Pretty name, that," the Doctor said, and just like that any pain or guilt was wiped from his face. He was turning back to the two other's in the room, looking for a solution to the problem at hand. "Help her out, would you?" He murmured to Rose.

From the corner of his eye he seemed to catch something else in his gaze, moving solemnly towards a limp figure.

"What was his name?" The Doctor asked, dragging the body towards the closet.

Rose looked horrified, as she figured her mom would. Despite all the death she saw, it never really got easier on her.

"Who?" Harriet inquired, getting up to get a better look at the man.

"This one, the, uh, secretary, or whatever he was called," the Doctor muttered.

Romana tensed when a hand landed on her shoulder. Her mother was giving her a sympathetic look, squeezing a little at her startled face. Clearly, she thought the girl was terrified at the sight of the dead man. Not to mention, if the stars in her eyes were anything to go by, she was losing a lot of blood.

"I don't know," Harriet admitted, "I talked to him. I bought him a cup of coffee. I never asked his name."

When Harriet walked away from the closet, Romana took a moment to study her father. He looked weighed down by the guilt of the world, and a deep pain was etched on his face, one she was sure that remained from after the Time War. Her father, the real one, never looked like that. He felt guilt, of course, but since she'd been born, since he had her mother, he'd recovered- if only a little bit.

"Sorry," the Doctor whispered to the man, leaving his body so that he might help with the situation at hand. "Right, what have we got? Any terminals or anything?"

Though the question seemed a bit more aimed towards Rose, his gaze stayed fixed on Romana.

"No, this place is antique." Rose replied, "Save the occasional teen, looks like we've got nothing."

Her mother gave her a tongue-touched grin, one she loved (and just so happened, seemed to inherit). Romana flashed her a brief smile, though it was clear there wasn't a lot of happiness behind it.

"That looks pretty bad," Rose commented, causing Romana to grimace as pain bubbled to the surface at the mere mention of her wound.

"Yeah, hurts a bit," she admitted.

"After we get out of here, we can get you fixed up, you know," Rose reassured her, to which Romana nodded back at.

She was lost in her mind, searching for an answer as the three other occupants began talking about strategy and whatnot. The images that'd invaded her mind earlier were slowing down, allowing her time to process them. Though, they seemed rather insignificant.

First was a tower, gleaming gold in the moonlight. The stone structure touched the sky, its bell ringing out to the city below. She was sure she'd never seen anything like it before.

Next was a hand, pale and tensed. On it was a ring, with familiar inscriptions on it. They were Gallifreyan, though the image wouldn't focus enough to allow her to properly translate it.

Finally there were golden eyes, staring at her with the whole of time. They were fierce, filled with all of the rage of a mother wolf, protecting her cub.

"Romana?"

An indignant "huh" tumbled out of her mouth, her gaze snapping back into the presence.

"Are you okay, dear?" Harriet inquired, looking particularly concerned for the young girl.

"Me, yeah, I'm always okay," she promised, an empty smile on her lips.

"It's Mickey," Rose said, examining her phone closely.

Romana's eyebrows shot up, surprised to hear that name. In her time, Mickey had been living in an alternate universe, the same one her grandmother was in. She'd never had the chance to meet them, but she'd heard loads of stories from her parents.

"Oh, tell your stupid boyfriend we're busy," the Doctor practically growled, and Romana couldn't help but snort at that. "Oi, what's got you laughing?"

The offended arch of his brow caused her to laugh even more.

"Yeah, he's not so stupid after all." Rose brought her phone in view, offering the Doctor a glance at the picture Mickey had sent to her.

Rose snatched her phone back, calling Mickey up so that she might gather more information. Romana still had a small smirk on her face.

"You're taking this all rather well," Harriet spoke to her, casting a concerned glance in her direction.

She shrugged, leaning against the wooden table. While she was concerned with the sudden shift in time, and the rather painful wound in her side, she found it interesting to watch. This was, after all, her parents. They weren't quite in love, not like in the present, but they were on the right path- even if her father was acting like a jealous git.

"Harriet Jones," she tested the name on her tongue, deciding she quite liked the ring. "Have you ever thought of running for Prime Minister?"

The older woman gave the suggestion a rather quick thought, mulling it over but not giving a concise answer. She didn't have to. Romana knew of the events that followed well enough.

"It's asking for the password," a voice said, one she didn't recognize.

Clearly, it was Mickey, who the Doctor had decided would do best on speaker.

"Buffalo. Two Fs, one L."

"So what's that website," a softer, more feminine voice spoke. Romana had a sneaking suspicion she knew exactly who that was.

"All the secret information known to mankind. See, they've known about aliens for years. They just kept us in the dark." Romana decided that Mickey was a bit dramatic.

Though, she'd never had the luxury of being "kept in the dark". She wasn't even born on Earth, though that had been a bit of an accident. Earth was the intended target, only they'd managed to get knocked off course. When the Doctor offered to try another go at it, Rose had nearly bit his head off because the baby was coming.

"Mickey you were born in the dark," the Doctor added, and Romana managed another laugh at the obvious jab. It was clear that someone was having human envy.

"Oh, leave him alone," Rose chastised, though she was looking in Romana's direction at the same time.

"Thank you," Mickey replied, pleased with himself.

"I didn't say anything," Romana defended herself, offering a crooked smile.

"Yes, thank you for that," the Doctor cut in rudely, sending the girl a rather sharp glare. She either didn't care or notice.

"Alien invasion, strict schedule," Harriet reminded them, sounding a bit like a mother scolding her children.

"Password again," Mickey prompted.

"Just repeat it, every time," the Doctor answered, pushing himself away from the table as Mickey got to work. "Big Ben. Why did the Slitheen go and hit Big Ben?"

"If I looked like that, I'd crash into Big Ben too," Romana muttered under her breath.

"What?" Rose asked, leaning down towards the girl. She waved her off.

"You said to gather the experts, to kill them," Harriet suggested.

Her suggestion was short lived as the Doctor entered, what Romana termed 'word garble'.

"That lot would've gathered for a weather balloon. You don't need to crash-land it in the middle of London."

"You okay?" Rose asked Romana, nudging her shoulder gently. The girl nodded.

"Yeah, molto bene."

"Rose?" The Doctor looked to her expectantly.

"The Slitheen are hiding, but then they put the entire planet on red alert. What did they do that for?" She offered, smiling when the Doctor gave her a rather proud looking nod.

"Oh, listen to her," the woman's voice flooded through the speaker.

"She's trying," Romana chimed in, "at least that's something."

The woman stayed silent for a moment, before saying, "Who are you?"

Romana scowled, opening her mouth to reply before she was cut off. "Doesn't matter. Look, I've got a question, if you don't mind. Since that man walked into our lives, I've been attacked in the streets, I've had creatures from the pits of Hell in my own living room, and my daughter disappear off the face of the Earth."

Feeling a bit guilty, Romana snuck a glance towards her mother. She looked pensive, though determined.

"I told you what happened."

"I'm talking to him!" Jackie snapped, "'Cause I've seen this life of yours, Doctor, and maybe you get off on it, and maybe you think it's all clever and smart, but you tell me, just answer me this, is my daughter safe?"

"I'm fine," Rose assured her, sending a gentle smile in the Doctor's direction.

"Is she safe?" Jackie repeated, and Romana felt she could understand her grandmother's pain just a little bit more.

When she was little, very little, often times she'd be stuck with Uncle Jack or told to wait in the TARDIS while her parents left to be heroes. She knew just how important what they did was now, but at the time all she could think about was the overwhelming fear of the unknown. She'd wait and wait for hours with nothing to calm her but the gentle lull of the TARDIS in her mind, never knowing whether they'd come back unharmed or not. Never knowing whether they made it out okay.

Hell, one time her dad didn't make it out unscathed, but that was a whole other story.

"Will she always be safe, can you promise me that?" Jackie continued.

The Doctor was listening, though he wasn't speaking. Him and Rose were watching one another closely, seemingly coming to an understanding, but Romana couldn't stand the silence.

"Nobody can promise that," she said, remembering the day her father returned with a new face, "and it hurts like hell, but sometimes we need to let the people we love venture into the world on their own. Because, sometimes, we're too selfish to realize the rest of the universe needs them just as much as we do."

Her parents were looking at her then, confused and saddened by the pain behind her words. They didn't know that they were the ones she was talking about, and while her tone was forlorn, it was filled with pride.

"We're in," Mickey stated, breaking the occupants from whatever spell they'd fallen under.

 **A/N: Let me know what you thought! This will get a bit timey whimey. It will include snippets between where Romana is, and where the future Rose and Doctor are. A few past faces will pop up as well, because I wouldn't be me without including past Doctors.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Alright, so, slow beginning. I'm trying to establish characters before we begin really getting into the storyline and what is happening. This first part of the story is very Romana-centric, but the future ones will be far more Rose and Doctor oriented. After all, this is a Rose x Doctor story.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Why now?" Rose asked.

The Doctor, startled out of whatever state of mind he'd been in, met her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Why now? Why do they choose to invade us now?" She inquired, eyeing the young girl who stood before her. She didn't quite understand how she knew about aliens and the likes, considering she was dressed just like a human. Then again, the Doctor looked human.

"Why not?" Romana countered, wincing as she leaned back against the table. She grit her teeth, barely managing to stop a groan of pain from escaping.

"You're still injured," Rose noted sadly. She paused a moment, before taking off her jacket. "Stand still," she said, lifting the girl's shirt enough to get a good look at the wound.

It was black and blue around the edges, with a deep cut just under her ribs. Rose winced just looking at it.

"It's not much," Rose admitted as she wrapped the jacket tightly around the girls middle. Romana, for her part, managed to suck in a breath, refusing to let any sounds of pain be voiced. "But for now it'll have to do."

"Thank you," the girl said honestly, a pained smile on her face.

Rose returned it, feeling a little ashamed that she'd been wary of the girl.

The Doctor watched the exchange with a hint of pride, and curiosity. It was clear that this Romana bore no ill will, but she did know about far more than she should. He was knocked out of his reverie when Rose's phone rang. With an unreadable look in her direction, he answered it.

"All right, Doctor," Jackie began, "I'm not saying I trust you, but there must be something you can do."

Harriet jumped in.

"If we could ferment the port, we could make acetic acid," she suggested rather excitedly.

Romana smiled a bit at that.

"Mickey, any luck?" Rose inquired.

While Rose and Harriet were speaking, the Romana chanced a look at her father. He had a pensive glint in his eyes, and Romana knew exactly what that meant. She ignored the cries of her side as she pushed herself over to him.

"You have a plan," she stated.

The Doctor was surprised at how she seemed to be able to read him so well. For a moment, just a brief moment, he allowed himself to believe she was the actual Romana, his Romana, but he knew better. She was dead.

This girl though, she acted a bit like her. She acted a bit like him, actually. And Rose, now that he thought about it.

"Not a good one," he promised, trying to get a read on her.

"I have faith," the girl shrugged, "In the face of hopelessness, every plan is a good one."

"Where'd you hear that one then?" He asked, a crooked grin on his lips.

"Here and there," the girl replied cryptically, a playful hint in her tone. Her eyes shined with knowledge and he didn't like how she seemed to know something he didn't.

Romana, for her part, wanted to laugh at how she was using his own advice on him. Not that he'd really know it was a future regeneration that said it.

"If we could just get out of here," Rose stressed.

Though they'd both been in their own conversation, they hadn't tuned the other two out entirely.

"There's a way out," the Doctor stated, rather grimly.

"What?" Rose inquired.

"There's always been a way out," he answered.

"Then why don't we use it?" She asked, and the question clearly laid heavily on the Doctor's shoulders.

"Because I can't guarantee your daughter will be safe."

Even though he was leaned over the phone and not facing her, Romana could see the guilt he bore. He'd always been like that, taking on far more guilt than he ever should have. It's where she'd learned that particular trait from.

But this was not his fault.

Her family had always had the horrifying task of protecting the universe. It'd nearly torn them apart many, many times, but she'd learned that while it was a terrible burden, it was also a great gift. She made a difference. Her father made a difference. Her mother made a difference.

She knew that the danger they faced this time would be just as threatening as what they faced all the time. No matter, they would still follow through. It's who they were.

"Don't you dare!" Jackie exclaimed. "Whatever it is, don't you dare!" And despite never meeting her grandmother, Romana could visualize her expression. It was the same one her mother had many times before, specifically when either her or her father was doing something particularly dangerous.

"That's the thing. If I don't dare, everyone dies."

"Do it," Rose said, and Romana felt a smile twitch on her lips despite the situation. Her mother was so, so brave- even now.

"You don't even know what it is. You'd just let me?" The Doctor asked her seriously, his eyes just on her as if she were the only person in the room.

Romana felt perhaps her initial assessment was wrong. Perhaps her mother and father were already in love, even if they didn't realize it just yet. Perhaps a part of them had always been in love.

"Yeah," her mom replied, and Romana was a bit shocked to see the devotion in her eyes.

"Please, Doctor, please! She's my daughter, she's just a kid."

Though Romana knew the pain she must be feeling, she understood that this must be done. This was her mom showing her dad that she trusts him completely for the first time. This was important, even if they didn't realize it at the time.

"Do you think I don't know that?" The Doctor answered, terror rooted deep in his words. "'Cause this is my life, Jackie. It's not fun, it's not smart. It's just standing up and making a decision because nobody else will."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Rose asked him.

Romana began to gravitate towards her parents on instinct, as she'd done so many times before in dangerous situations. Only, this time they didn't pull her to them, like usual. They didn't hug her and tell her it was going to be alright. They didn't grab her hand and tell her to run. They didn't ask her for her opinion or input.

Though she knew they weren't her parents, not yet, she didn't feel it until the moment Rose looked over solemnly, mouthing a 'sorry' to her as she put her life in danger.

"I could save the world but lose you," the Doctor said with so much pain, and Rose looked away from Romana to meet his eyes.

A hint of a smile tugged at Rose's lips.

"Except it's not your decision, Doctor," Harriet commented, "It's mine."

Romana almost scoffed, but she managed to hold it in. Okay, maybe she did have a bit more authority over Earth than the three present, but they'd both been the savior of the planet enough times to warrant _some_ opinions on matters of safety.

"And who the hell are you?" Jackie demanded.

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North," the woman stated rather proudly, "the only elected representative in this room, chosen by the people for the people. And on behalf of the people, I command you." She paused, her eyes flitting to Romana. "Do it."

"I mean," the teen interjected boredly, "technically I was elected as the Speaker of Earth in the 82nd century, but no, let's just forget about that."

Rose laughed, despite the situation, and the Doctor even managed a grin.

"I don't believe you," Rose told the girl with a quirked brow, and only got a smirk in return. The Doctor clapped his hands together to get everyone's attention.

"Use the 'buffalo' password," the Doctor said hurriedly, "it overrides everything."

Some muted chatter and a moment later, and Mickey proclaimed, "we're in!"

"Here it is, uh, HMS Taurean, Trafalgar Class submarine, 10 miles off the coast of Plymouth."

"Right, we need to select a missile," the Doctor answered, prompting a grin from both Rose and Romana.

The prospect of an explosion reminded her of Ace, and Romana smiled even wider.

"We can't go nuclear, we don't have the defence codes," Mickey proclaimed.

"We don't need it," the Doctor replied, "all we need is an ordinary missile."

"Or some Nitro-9," Romana added under her breath, grateful when her father didn't hear.

"What's the first category?"

"Sub harpoon, UGM-84A." Mickey supplied.

"That's the one," the Doctor assured him, shooting a look both at Rose and Romana, "Select!"

Mickey's next words were a little muffled, as if he weren't talking to them. If she had to wager a guess, Romana would say that Jackie was trying to stop him. She could understand why, even empathize with how she must be feeling, but it was more than a little frustrating for the time traveler, considering she knew how this had to play out for the most part. One little misstep could devastate the whole of the timelines, and possibly delete her from existence. So, no pressure.

"You ready for this?" The Doctor prompted, as patient as ever.

"Yeah," Mickey affirmed. Rose fidgeted a little, clearly a sign she knew what was happening on the other side of the line as well.

"Mickey the idiot, the world is in your hands," the Doctor stated, and Romana couldn't help but role her eyes at how dramatic he could be sometimes. "Fire."

An exclamation of "Oh my god" could be heard from the phone, the air in the room thickening with fear and worry and a million other emotions. Romana raised a brow in anticipation, waiting for the master plan. There had to be one, right? She knew that her parents got out alive and well. Even in this new timeline, they had made it well past this point in time.

"How solid are these?" Harriet asked, running to the doors and startling Romana from her reverie.

"Not solid enough," her dad stated grimly, surprising her with the resignation in his voice. "Built for a short-range attack. Nothing this big."

She scoffed.

He was ready to die. He was accepting it. She couldn't believe him. Her father had always fought until the last minute, he'd always jump up with a new idea to save the people he loved, and himself- but this him was just... ready.

She didn't realize just how broken he was inside. He was a shell of the man he'd become, and she was starting to understand a bit better why he needed his family as much as he did.

"All right, now I'm making the decision," her mother said, so full of life and energy. The spark she had seen so often in her father was ever present and glowing in her mother's eyes.

"I'm not going to die. We're going to ride this out," she promised, looking all around her for something they might be able to use to survive. "It's like what they say about earthquakes. You can survive them by standing under a doorframe."

Romana smiled, a tug of her lips that was so reminiscent of her mother she was glad that her attention was otherwise occupied. Her mother had always been resourceful, particularly when it came to the so-called "human approach". (She'd been called out enough for acting like her father too much on that front.)

"Now, this cupboard's small, so it's strong," Rose told them, ushering Romana over.

The teen followed her without any hesitance, wobbling a bit from the dizziness. As soon as they got out of this, and she had every bit of faith they would, she really needed to take care of her wound.

"Come and help me, come on," she prompted the Doctor and Harriet, who had thus far just been standing and watching her like they didn't quite know what to do with themselves.

Rose lead Romana to the back, leaving her with a gentle smile.

"We'll take care of everything, just wait here," she told the girl, giving her shoulder a soft squeeze.

Romana nodded, pride shining in her eyes as her mother rushed back to help Harriet. The Doctor was running towards the table, frantically yelling something into the phone, but Romana couldn't make it out, the sound of blood in her head like a river. Darkness tinged around her vision, and she found it harder and harder to stay awake. Just as the last bit of her consciousness faded out, she felt a hand slip into hers, and another one land on her shoulder.

She didn't need to look to know who it was.

* * *

 **A/N: Let me know your thoughts. After we finish the World War Three arc, things will speed up.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Alright, I told you it'll get timey whimey and what not. So, this is 'present' day for Rose Tyler and the Doctor.**

 **Enjoy!**

Rose Tyler hated being away from her family.

Before Romana had been born, she'd nearly lost the Doctor countless times. Whatever it may be- war, sickness, time- it all seemed to be trying to tear them apart. On more than one occasion, it almost had.

As it were, the Universe had finally been merciful and they'd been granted the forever they'd always wanted.

They'd spent decades, millennia, even, just travelling among the stars and the whole of time, finding trouble and saving people. Life was, to be quite honest, perfect.

Then Rose had fallen ill.

They were sure it was another cruel twist of fate placed upon them by the universe, intent on tearing away the happy ever after they were sure they'd deserved.

It'd been the farthest thing from.

Their little miracle, as they liked to call it. Rose was pregnant.

They'd accepted never having a family, considering the Doctor was a Time Lord and Rose was, well, they weren't entirely sure. When she discovered she was pregnant, she was ecstatic, if a little suspicious. It took _a lot_ to convince Rose and the Doctor that she really was pregnant. (In fact, they'd been in complete denial until a doctor from the 78th century let them hear their baby's heartbeat.)

The months following were some of the worst she'd ever experienced, despite the now obvious delight at having a child.

Her body was actively rejecting the pregnancy, and she seemed to be getting more sick as time progressed. Her and the Doctor were so afraid they'd lose the child. Every groan of pain or whimper had them running for a hospital, tears in their eyes as they readied their hearts for the bad news.

But no, their little girl was so strong even then. She fought and fought and their little miracle survived.

They'd named her Romana Jane, after two very strong woman from their pasts: Romanadvoratrelundar and Sarah Jane Smith.

Their family was so very happy, save the occasional spat that tended to rise with every family. Everything was perfect once more.

And then the Doctor had gone and gotten himself killed.

He'd been protecting Romana, though she didn't know it at the time. The Romana of their time wasn't there, it was her in a future rather near to them. He'd given his life to save her without a second thought. Not that Rose could blame him, she would do the same a thousand times.

The regeneration had been quite rough on Rose, considering she'd been through so much with her pinstriped Doctor, but paled in comparison to the reaction of their daughter. While Rose had been a little melancholy to begin with, she enjoyed exploring the minute differences that seemed to change with each regeneration. Their daughter, however, reacted far differently.

She didn't yell at him or cry or ask what happened. She was silent, staring at him with eyes that spoke of an unsteadiness she didn't voice.

Rose knew it would be rough when it happened eventually, but she didn't expect her little girl to look at her father like she wasn't quite sure how to react.

It stung the Doctor.

After spending the next few weeks with them, it became abundantly clear that she was struggling to cope with what happened. Regeneration was hard, Rose was more than aware, so she requested for the Doctor to cash in on a favor.

He owed her a trip to a particularly nice resort, and it would be the perfect opportunity to allow some much needed bonding.

So Rose didn't feel too sorry when she was dropped off at the resort with a lingering kiss from the Doctor and a tight squeeze from Romana.

That was three days ago.

Worry and fear began to settle in her mind like a fog, and she was struggling to convince herself nothing was wrong. She couldn't relax, despite being in a place where that was, quite literally, the entire point.

She found herself jumping at every noise, running towards anything that sounded remotely like the TARDIS.

It wasn't until well after the sun had set and she was lying in bed, convincing herself to fall asleep, that the comforting sound of the TARDIS filled the silence of her room.

She waited as the gentle hum in her mind grew in volume, the strength of the bond increasing at the closeness to the TARDIS. Her smile, however, faded as she felt the TARDIS' pain wash over her in waves.

Something was terribly wrong.

"Doctor!" Rose shouted, tears pricking at her eyes as she tried and tried to swallow down the fear.

Images of the Doctor hurt, of her daughter injured, flashed through her mind and she couldn't help but guess the worst.

Her patience all but ran out, the TARDIS door opening for her without any prompting. Inside, standing under the gentle glow of the time rotor, was the Doctor. His typically floppy hair was strewn in all directions, green eyes tinged with red from tears.

Inside, Rose felt like crumpling.

The look he'd given her, one of complete shame and self-hatred, had her knees buckling. Her steps faltered and she fell to the ground, all strength running dry. Tears had began to fall from her eyes, and a deep pain embedded itself into her gut like a knife. She felt sick and overwhelmed, a strangled sob crawling up her throat.

All of the emotion turned her body numb. At some point, the Doctor had fallen beside her, holding onto her like a lifeline. He was apologizing over and over again, unable to voice anything else. He had nothing else to say.

Tears were sliding down his cheeks in hot trails, a bitter reminder that he could still feel, despite the numbness taking over. He had pulled Rose into his lap, his hearts breaking with each utterance of 'Romana' or 'my baby girl'.

Their sobs were all that filled the silence. Even the TARDIS' song seemed to be a fair bit more somber.

They were drowning in grief, trying to stay afloat by holding onto one another and refusing to let go. The passing of time became of blur for Rose and the Doctor, they knew nothing outside of their sorrow.

After what could've been twenty minutes or just as possibly two hours, Rose spoke.

"W-what-"

She choked on her words, unable to finish what she was saying, though the Doctor understood.

"Canary Wharf," he replied, words broken and strangled. In his eyes, memories began to play, causing more and more tears to fall. "Something changed."

"I don't understand," Rose admitted, holding back a sob she desperately wanted to release.

The Doctor swallowed roughly, attempting to keep his voice steady as he began to speak.

"The TARDIS landed us during the Battle of Canary Wharf," he explained, pausing so that he could try to calm himself. Rose pulled him a little tighter to grant him some comfort. "Somehow the timeline was messed up. I lost you there."

Her brows furrowed, head resting in the crook of the Doctor's neck.

"But I'm here," she said, feeling a light pressure in her mind.

It was like she'd forgotten something important that she needed to remember.

"Yes," the Doctor muttered, moving back so he might study Rose a little more. He, too, was feeling something just out of reach.

"If you lost me that day, then I shouldn't be here," Rose reminded him, gaining a little bit of hope. If she was here, then clearly something was keeping the timeline intact.

"It's right here," the Doctor told her, "right on the tip of my tongue."

Rose nodded, closing her eyes to concentrate on that odd little feeling that had cropped up in her mind. The TARDIS' song grew in volume, taking form in golden waves. The waves were gently moving about her as she made her way through her own mind, guiding her towards whatever it was that was just out of reach. She followed it, faster and faster as time moved, and eventually found herself outside of a great, big, golden door.

Cautiously, she reached out for the handle. As her fingers made contact with the cool door, a gentle laughter rang out. It was light, childish, and just a bit loud. She'd recognize it anywhere, however, as she'd heard it many times from her own daughter.

"Romana," Rose breathed.

As she said her daughter's name, a pressure appeared on her temple. Beside her, now stood the Doctor.

"You see it too," he stated, to which Rose nodded.

It was memories, ones that they couldn't recall, locked behind the door. They weren't complete, not yet, but they were there nonetheless.

"She's in our past," Rose finally said, a smile cracking on her lips.

It looked as though her daughter was doing what their family did best; protect each other.

 **A/N: Let me know what you thought! I'm thinking of either doing two updates of this a week, or keep it to once a week, but start updating another story once a week as well.**


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